Walkers’ highly commended series of Coast-to-Coast US investment fund seminars drew record numbers in New York and San Francisco this year as Walkers partners and key note speakers debated the latest trends in hedge funds, and expected developments for the US economy and the investment funds industry in 2014.

The ‘Walkers Fundamentals’ seminars were held this November in New York and San Francisco, attracting over 500 high-calibre delegates, representing most of the leading names in the investment funds business.

“We’re extremely pleased with the tremendous success of the Walkers Fundamentals seminars. They have grown to become one of the industry’s preeminent events focused on international funds trends,” said Ingrid Pierce, Global Managing Partner of Walkers. “We are delighted to share our experience of where the offshore market is moving. Given the trends we are seeing, we expect that 2014 will be a strong year as major investors increase their allocations and start-ups ramp up their activity.”

Alongside the presentations from Walkers’ partners, television commentator Ali Velshi, best known as the anchor of CNN’s ‘Your Money’, gave the key note address at New York’s Harvard Club on November 5, 2013.

A review of 2013 activity, based on a survey of the funds Walkers established for clients this year, anchored both New York and San Francisco seminars providing a unique insight into the preferred structures employed by the world’s premier asset managers.

In response to client demand, Walkers brought the Fundamentals series of seminars to San Francisco on the West Coast last year, where an important number of the firm’s key clients are based. This year’s event at the Ritz Carlton, San Francisco on November 12, saw a more than 100% increase in the number of those attending and featured a lively presentation by guest speaker Lawrence McDonald, New York Times bestselling author of A Colossal Failure of Common Sense: The Inside Story of the Collapse of Lehman Brothers. (www.lawrencegmcdonald.com)

Both seminars also featured focused panel discussions on investment fund governance and financing for investment funds.

“It is extremely gratifying to hear ‘Walkers Fundamentals’ now described as a ‘New York institution’, and we are delighted with the momentum building up on the West Coast,” commented Mark Lewis, Senior Partner of Walkers. “We will continue to host this event annually and will look to expand the seminars to new locations. Our clients continue to look to us as their primary industry partner. We keep them fully aware of the enormous challenges facing the industry, and we represent their interests and needs as new legislative and regulatory changes are contemplated.”

The Walkers Fundamentals Investment Funds seminar series was established in 2008. Playing to packed houses every year, it has become a regular on the New York calendar and a “must attend” event for investment fund professionals and managers with international business interests.

Walkers’ 2014 Global Hedge Fund Outlook – featuring the full results of Walkers’ 2013 Hedge Fund Survey will be made available to members of the media on request.

About Walkers

From offices in the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dubai, Dublin, Hong Kong, Jersey, London and Singapore, Walkers provides legal services to leading FORTUNE 100 and FTSE 100 global corporations and financial institutions, capital markets participants, investment fund managers, and growth-and middle-market companies.

Walkers’ expertise has been validated by numerous awards including “Offshore Law Firm of the Year” by Alpha Magazine, The Lawyer, PLC Which Lawyer? and Asian Legal Business. Walkers has also been honoured as the PLC Which Lawyer? Yearbook Leading Cayman Islands Law Firm, Who’s Who Legal Law Firm of the Year: Cayman Islands and has shared honours for “Offshore Legal Team of the Year” by the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).